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The search for excellence in Catholic education and its leadership will begin with the documents of Vatican II

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The Church and Education: Visions of Excellence:

The Church and Education: Visions of Excellence CSA 571 EXCEL Foundations of Catholic School Administration Session one October 15 th 2012

For this afternoon:

The Church and the Cultural Context. Mission and Ministry: The vision of Church found in Vatican II documents The Church’s Mission statement on education. Gravissimum Educationis For t his afternoon

The Church and the Cultural Context:

We swim in an ocean of “isms” Relativism: There is no objective truth, only subjective personal reality Materialism: Happiness is derived in what we have. Individualism: I am the center of the universe Hedonism: Happiness is what and who gives me pleasure What “isms” are prevalent in your school’s culture? The Church and the Cultural Context

“Aggiornamento”:

Pope John XXIII calls for a renewal and openness. The Church needed to speak to the modern world October 12 th 1962: The Vatican II Council begins The first time an ecumenical council was called without a crisis or heresy precipitating it. Opened more questions, rather than establishing dogma or doctrine. No infallible statements. Still, it proclaimed fundamental principles that we as a Church are still birthing. “Aggiornamento”

Lumen Gentium:

One of the “top three” core documents of Vatican II, along with Dei Verbum, and Gaudium et Spes . The one that caused the most immediate impact was Sacrosanctum Concilium , but foundationally, far less important. Lumen Gentium

Lumen Gentium :

“ The light of the nations” The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. Just as God is mystery, so too is the Church A divine and human reality, which conceals as much as it reveals… Here are its key principles which form the foundation of who we are as Church. Lumen Gentium

LG’s Fundamental Principles:

The People of God The Body of Christ LG’s Fundamental Principles

CH 1: The mystery of the Church:

LG provides metaphors to help reveal the mystery. The Church is (or is like): A sacrament A people A sheepfold The tillage of God The building of God The temple Our Mother CH 1: The mystery of the Church

Ch 1 (7) Church as Body of Christ:

The Head of this Body is Christ. He is the image of the invisible God and in Him all things came into being. He is before all creatures and in Him all things hold together. He is the head of the Body which is the Church Ch 1 (7) Church as Body of Christ

People of God:

The Family as the domestic church: …parents should, by their word and example, be the first preachers of the faith to their children; they should encourage them in the vocation which is proper to each of them, fostering with special care vocation to a sacred state . (11) Mission: obligation of spreading the faith is imposed on every disciple of Christ, according to his state.(21*) People of God

Hierarchy:

Has mostly to do with the role of the bishop, who must “preach the Gospel to all, and urge the faithful to apostolic and missionary activity” (27) Hierarchy

The Laity:

The Lay apostolate: Thus every layman, in virtue of the very gifts bestowed upon him, is at the same time a witness and a living instrument of the mission of the Church itself "according to the measure of Christ's bestowal”. (33) They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. (40) The Laity

The pilgrim Church:

The image of journeying Church. “eschatological” We are journeying in the world, but toward the eternal unity with the Trinity. The vision of the Church is an eternal vision. The communion of saints The pilgrim Church

Turn and Talk:

How might the fundamentals of Lumen Gentium influence the way we do Catholic schooling? How might it impact your vision of yourself as a Catholic school leader? Turn and Talk

Other VII documents flow from Lumen Gentium:

Ad Gentes : (“To the Nations”) Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity We have a mission as disciples to spread the word of God. This is the fundamental work of all the baptized. Nostra Aetate : (“In our Age”) Declaration on the Church in relation to Non-Christian Religions Find the truth and beauty. We all share the common humanity of being children of God. Unitatis Redinegratio : (“Restoration of Unity”) Decree on Ecumenism The sharing of a common baptism Our special ties with the Orthodox Christians, and Jews. Other VII documents flow from Lumen Gentium

Turn and Talk:

What implication might these documents have on Catholic School Culture? Turn and Talk

Gravissimum Educationis:

“ The Extreme Importance of Education…” Declaration on Christian Education (October 28 th 1965) Like other documents from Vatican II, this will stand as the basis for many of the documents to follow… Gravissimum Educationis

Explore and Present:

Pair up with someone from another school, and preferably from the other school division. Each pair will read and discuss a specific section of GE You will present answers to the following: What is the essence of the section that you read. Summarize in no more than three sentences What might be the implications of what is in the GE to Catholic education in Alberta? Your own schools? How does it demonstrate a vision of excellence? Explore and Present

Final Comments and Questions:

Course outline? Assignments? Use of Sharepoint – reflections on Good To Great. Book response due November 16 th . Leadership presentation for January 14 th . Readings for January 14 th : Lay Catholics in Schools (Vatican document) Book: Catholic Education: Ensuring a Future Final Comments and Questions